Family matters: MaxiMinds co-founders share what it’s like running a business with your father/daughter
MaxiMinds co-founders Georgina and Nic Jarvis
By 2030, 1 in 2 young people will have developed a mental illness disorder. MaxiMinds' vision is to prevent this by empowering them to be their own mental health and wellbeing experts. The MaxiMinds digital psychoeducation platform provides young people with evidence-based, immediate strategies to identify their feelings and emotions and maximise their mental wellbeing.
Leading this mental health revolution are co-founders Georgina and Nic Jarvis, who not only share a vision for their business but are also father and daughter!
The dynamic duo tell UNSW Founders what it’s like to run a business with family, how their close bond has helped MaxiMinds and the top 3 tips for getting you (and your kids) through to the end of the year in one piece.
How did you decide to work together?
Georgina: It just evolved naturally over the last few years. I had recently left Macquarie Group after working in HR and Innovation and Nic had finished working as a corporate practice lead at Edelman, the world's biggest PR agency. We both wanted to do something that gave back to society and with Georgina now practicing as a psychologist and seeing the decline in young people's mental health, we saw a real-life challenge that needs to be addressed. Suicide is now the biggest killer of young people and the problems facing them in today's society are only going to get worse unless drastic action is taken. The concept for MaxiMinds grew over more than a year with a lot of research and consulting with other professionals including doctors, psychologists, healthcare workers, teachers, parents, and kids themselves.
What has it been like working with family?
Nic: Working (and living!) with family means our workday starts before we open our laptops, and continues after we switch off for the night. We often go for a walk in the morning to discuss our priorities and goals for the day, and we also discuss the company's progress and direction around the dinner table at night. We both think similarly on some things but on others, we have different opinions. It's a healthy environment in which to operate and do our best work.
Georgina: Working with family doesn’t just end with us two! My mum is very involved in our local community and in not-for-profits and my sister is a pediatrician, so they also both bring different and highly valuable points of view to the table.
What do you like best about working together?
Nic: Working with family means it's much easier to state a point of view or opinion frankly or passionately without fear of offense as we share the same passion for the mission and vision for MaxiMinds and its progress. We also see the genuine value of each other’s skill sets – mine being in communications and public affairs, while Georgina has an incredibly in-depth and passionate interest in the welfare of young people and how better mental health is as important as being physically fit. As a society, we spend a lot of effort on our physical health, but not nearly enough on helping people who need it to be mentally fit.
What is most challenging about working together?
Georgina: Building any business is a challenge so we believe it's important that we agree on the direction of the business and just what to do week by week to ensure success. But we also have different interests and lives and we both make sure we spend time just doing different things to keep things sane. Funnily enough, we don't really have any disagreements and because of our different skill sets, we can bring something to the table that complements the other!
How do you think being related has helped the business and your progression?
Nic: There's familial compatibility and knowing how the other person thinks and works has been very useful as we've established and grown MaxiMinds. Respecting each other's different roles, skills and capabilities has really helped shape the business and our offer, and we both respect and value what the other can bring and contribute. We also both look at the things we face from a macro and micro point of view. That helps with the enormity of the challenge in front of us: how to help many more young people work through their mental health problems by helping them help themselves. This is what MaxiMinds does on a platform they can relate to using the tools and access to maximise the opportunity in front of them.
Georgina: Being related means we can draw on a large group of people in both our previous professional and personal (including family and friends) networks. This means we can seek and receive ideas and different approaches freely and in an environment that wants to achieve success.
It’s a busy time of year for everyone! Here are MaxiMinds’ top three things people, including kids, should be doing in December to look after their mental health:
It is important to be in the present moment and reflect on what people should be grateful for. You can do this by watching and doing the MaxiMinds MINDFULNESS MEDITATION and GRATITUDE videos.
December is also a time to look forward and reflect on what you would like to do in the coming year. You can do this by doing the MaxiMinds WELLNESS WHEEL and SMART GOALS activities.
If you are looking for some extra support and someone to speak to, you can book an appointment to speak with a MaxiMinds psychologist.
Sign up to MaxiMinds for quick and easy, 1-minute strategies grounded in evidence to help you maximise your mental well-being! You can also speak to a psychologist to help guide you on your journey to maximising your mind!